Friday, February 8, 2013

Here We Go Again


It's snowing already, and we're now under a blizzard watch. Seriously? It feels like "deja vu all over again."

So I'm finishing up the work on my desk and heading into the kitchen to make a mid-morning cappuccino. After that  I'll be making vegetable soup for lunch today and tomorrow, and maybe I'll throw in some of these grilled cheese croutons.

It's hard to get snowed in when you live in a densely populated county just ten miles outside of New York City, but it will probably be  one of those cocooning weekends in front of the fireplace with some good movies and good books--we're halfway through Netflix's new series, House of Cards.

But just for the fun of it, I'm ordering myself  a new midnight blue swimsuit this afternoon. A girl can dream of sunnier days, can't she?

What are you doing this weekend?

Chickpea  and Spinach Stew with Ginger

This is my spin on a recipe by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt


1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
1 1-inch knob ginger, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
6 ounces fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed, (my favorite brand is Goya); or approximately 4 cups cooked chickpeas
1 cup water
2 teaspoons soy sauce
Kosher salt
Sherry vinegar for serving

Drain tomatoes in strainer placed over medium bowl.  Transfer liquid, half the tomatoes and the ginger to blender. Blend on high speed until completely pureed. Set aside. Roughly chop remaining tomatoes and set aside.

Heat olive oil on medium-high heat in soup pot. Add onion, garlic, and parika, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened. Add tomato-ginger puree and stir to combine. Add spinach a handful at a time, allowing each handful to wilt before adding the next. Add salt to taste. Reduce heat to medium and simmer spinach mixture, stirring occasionally, until spinach is completely tender, about 10 minutes.

Add chopped tomatoes, chick peas, 1 cup of water and soy sauce. Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Correct seasoning and serve drizzled with a few drops of sherry vinegar.

Serves 2


 






10 comments:

  1. Brrr, sounds like a cold weekend for you there! Soup and grilled cheese is classic; I never tire of it! Wishing you a cozy weekend.

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  2. Thanks,Stacy. I'm happy to hear from you and hope you are feeling better and doing well.

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  3. The soup and cheese filled croutons look great, but I think you've found your answer to a blizzard weekend in swimsuit shopping. Love it! I'm not sure about my weekend. Saturday will be spent working and Sunday is wide open. Ah, possibilities...

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    1. I think you're right, Denise. It felt great to buy a swimsuit in a gorgeous color in the middle of a snow storm! Enjoy those possibilities.

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  4. We are expecting snow on Sunday but nothing quite like yours is predicted. When it snows here everything stops so any plans are on hold. Stay warm and I hope your power stays on. That soup looks delicious.

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    1. We ended up with almost a foot of snow, but so far so good as far as the power goes.I'm going into the kitchen now to make some muffins, then on to the treadmill (ugh) while they bake.Looking forward to a book and a movie this afternoon. Stay warm.

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  5. Sounds like the perfect soup to enjoy on a cold and snowy weekend.

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    1. It was just right for a cold day. The ginger in the soup made the flavors pop.

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  6. All curled up in a winter wonderland here in CO too! This soup is right up my ally! Thank you Michele, xoxo

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